Some Like It Pop: Did Celebrities Help, Or Hurt, the 2016 Election? And What Now?

Did celebrities like Katy Perry and Lena Dunham help win any new hearts and minds with campaign efforts during the 2016 presidential election, or — as the comments we've seen under our articles and on social media suggest — did they actually turn people off with what was perceived as more narcissism than populism? Did certain other stars' silence on the election support voter complacency on the part of their fans? And, most importantly: What now?

We won't know for sure what 45th president elect Donald Trump will do as Commander in Chief until he actually takes office on January 20, 2017. What the PopCrush editors do know, both as residents of New York City and as writers for a site that hears a very broad range of views from readers across the country every day, is that we've just lived through an unprecedented election cycle that's widened chasms between family members and friends — not to mention the millions of shouting voices on Facebook and Twitter.

This podcast was recorded six days after Election Day 2016, when our staff was still processing our thoughts and feelings like everybody else, and figuring out how to move forward. Listen, and share your own thoughts in the comments below.

An interesting post on how to civilly and productively talk to loved ones with differing political views about the forthcoming presidency using the rules of rhetoric, from writer and activist Bailey Poland.

And finally, the Fader compiled a solid list of ways people can donate, protest and volunteer — whether it's in response to the election, or if you just want to contribute to building a better America.